Bible Commentaries

Galatians 1:8 — of the καί is distributed over the whole supposition following, see Hartung, Partikell. i. 139; and ἐάν is distinguished from εἰ , in supposing a case which has never occurred, see 1 Corinthians 13:1 , and a full explanation in Herm. on Viger, p. 832) we (i.e. usually, ‘ I, Paul :’ but perhaps used here on account of οἱ σὺν ἐμοὶ πάντες ἀδελφοί , Gal 1:2 ) or an angel from heaven ( ἄγγ . ἐξ οὐρ . to be taken together, not ἐξ οὐρ . εὐαγγ .: introduced here as the highest possible authority,

Galatians 2:17 — clause must be interrogative, as μὴ γένοιτο always follows a question in St. Paul; see reff. Those who would take ἆρα for ἆρ ʼ οὐ (qu. can it ever be so taken, in spite of Matthiæ (Gr. Gr. § 641), Winer (comm. h. l., but not in Gr. Exodus 6:0 , § 57. 2, where he allows the translation given above), Monk (on Eur. Alcest. 353), and Porson (pref. to Hec. p. x)?) seem to me to miss altogether the fine irony of the question, which, as it stands, presupposes the ἆρ ʼ οὐ question already asked, the inevitable

Galatians 4:4 — 4 .] τὸ πλήρωμα τ . χρόνου (‘that whereby the time was filled up:’ see note on Ephesians 1:23 , Fritzsche’s note on Romans 11:12 , and Stier’s, Ephesians 1:0 . p. 199 ff. for a discussion of the meanings of πλήρωμα ) answers to the προθεσμία τ . πατρός , Galatians 4:2 ; see reff. The Apostle uses this term with regard not only to

Ephesians 5:8 — simple: if the first clause is intended to stand in connexion with and prepare the reader for the opposition to the second, μέν is inserted: if not, not: see the excellent remarks of Klotz, Devar. ii. p. 356 sq.: Fritz., Romans 10:19 , vol. ii. p. 423.” Ellic.) darkness (stronger than ἐν σκότει , Rom 2:19 ; 1 Thessalonians 5:4 : they were darkness itself see on φῶς below), but now (the ἐστέ is not expressed perhaps, as Stier suggests, not only for emphasis, but to carry a slight tinge of

Philippians 1:10 — ‘proving,’ ‘bringing to the test’ ) things that are excellent,’ which certainly is allowable, such sense of διαφέρω being justified by Matthew 10:31 , and τὰ διαφέροντα for præstantiora occurring Xen. Hier. i. 3; Dio Cassius xliv. 25. But the simpler and more usual meaning of both verbs is preferable, and has been adopted by Thdrt. ( διακρίσεως , ὥστε εἰδέναι τίνα μὲν καλά , τίνα δὲ κρείττονα , τίνα δὲ παντάπασι τὰ διαφορὰν πρὸς ἄλληλα ἔχοντα ), Beza, Wolf, all., Wies., De Wette,

1 Thessalonians 4:1 — portion, thus dividing it from the first, and implying the close of the Epistle. St. Paul uses it towards the end of his Epistles: see in addition to reff., Ephesians 6:10 ; Philippians 4:8 . οὖν , in furtherance of the wish of ch. 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13 ; τούτῳ κεχρημένοι τῷ σκόπῳ προσφέρομεν ὑμῖν τὴν παραίνεσιν . ἐρωτῶμεν ] in the classics, only used of asking a question : but in N. T. (as the Heb. שָׁאַל , Lün., which however, in the sense of requesting , is rendered in the LXX by αἰτεῖν )

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 — 23, 24 .] αὐτὸς δέ contrast to all these feeble endeavours on your own part. εἰρήνη here most probably in its wider sense, as the accomplishment of all these Christian graces, and result of the avoidance of all evil. It seems rather far-fetched to

Hebrews 11:39 — faith (the emphasis is on μαρτυρηθέντες , not on διὰ τῆς πίστεως : and the sense is rather ‘ though borne witness to,’ than ‘ being ’ or ‘ because , borne witness to.’ On the word and its import see Hebrews 11:2 ; Heb 11:4-5 ), did not receive the promise (many promises indeed they did receive, Hebrews 11:33 ; but not THE PROMISE κατ ʼ ἐξοχήν , the promise of final salvation, or as it is called ch. Hebrews 9:15 , τὴν ἐπαγγ . τῆς αἰωνίου κληρονομίας : the perfection,

Hebrews 11:9 — ἐν οἰκείᾳ γῇ , τῷ σώματι , ἀλλὰ παροικεῖν ὡς ἐν ἀλλοδάπῃ μόνον ἐπιτρέπει χώρᾳ . And Confus. Ling. § 17, p. 416, κατῴκησαν ὡς ἐν πατρίδι , οὐχ ὡς ἐπὶ ξένης παρῴκησαν ) in (pregnant construction, as often in St. Luke, see Acts 7:4 ; Acts 8:40 ; Acts 12:19 ; Acts 18:21 ; Luke 11:7 ; he went into the land and sojourned there) the land ( γῆ is one of those words which very commonly drop the article, especially when in government) of the promise (concerning which the promise, Genesis 12:7 , had been

Hebrews 13:21 — 21 .] perfect you ( πληρώσαι , τελειώσαι , Œc. μαρτυρεῖ αὐτοῖς μεγάλα · τὸ γὰρ καταρτιζόμενόν ἐστι τὸ ἀρχὴν ἔχον , εἶτα πληρούμενον , Chrys. Still, as Bleek remarks, the praise of having made a beginning is not necessarily involved in the wish that they

Hebrews 7:6 — Hebrews 7:5 . The present part. gives the sense, ‘ who is not in the habit of having his genealogy made out ’ …, whose descent no one thinks of deducing. This is also indicated by the subjective μή . Had it been οὐ (as οἱ οὐκ ἠλεημένοι , 1Pe 2:10 ) it would denote the mere matter of fact, ‘of whom no such genealogy exists.’ This is better than with Winer, edn. 6, § 55. 5, to regard the μή as only a stronger form of negation. The verb is good Greek: the Egyptian priests in Herodotus,

Hebrews 8:4 — 4 .] Yea, if (or as rec., “ For if …,” which follows more smoothly and naturally on the position of Hebrews 8:2 , and on that very account is probably a correction. Hofmann, as above, laying all the stress on the aor. προσενέγκῃ , takes the γάρ as justifying that aorist: Er muss ein nicht erst darzubringendes, sondern, dargebrachtes Opfer haben: denn wäre er

James 3:1 — meaning. And διδάσκαλοι is not, as E.V., “masters,” which conveys a wrong idea: but teachers , persons imparting knowledge in the congregation. This in the primitive times might be done by all in turn, as we know from 1 Corinthians 14:26-33 ; and St. James exhorts against the too eager and too general assumption of this privilege), my brethren, knowing (as ye do: or, as ye ought to do: it is a good remark of Huther’s, that εἰδότες , being closely joined to the imperative, is

1 Peter 4:12 — 12 .] Beloved (so ch. 1 Peter 2:11 ; here it begins an affectionate address in which comfort and joy is about to be introduced), be not astonished at (see on 1 Peter 4:4 ; think it not a thing alien from you, in which you are not at home. St. Peter himself

1 John 1:6 — Him who walk in darkness . If we say (the hypothesis is not assumed, “If we say, as we do:” but is purely hypothetical, “say who will and when he will.” This ἐάν with the subj. is repeated in every verse as far as ch. 1 John 2:1 . The 1st pers. plur. gives to the sayings a more general form, precluding any from escaping from the inference: at the same time that by including himself in the hypothesis, the Apostle descends to the level of his readers, thus giving to his exhortations

1 John 5:12 — 12 .] Conclusion of the whole argument from 1 John 5:6 ; dependent on the last clause of 1 John 5:11 , and carrying it on a step farther, even to the absolute identity as matter of possession for the believer, of the Son of God, and eternal life. He

1 John 5:4 — that wherever there is faith there is victory. And this is further expressed by the aorist participle, by which, as Estius (notwithstanding that the vulgate has “quæ vincit”), “significatur victoria jam parta:” cf. ch. 1 John 2:13 , 1 John 4:4 . Socinus absurdly explains the aorist as speaking of those whose Christian course is done, against the plain ἐστίν , not only here but in 1Jn 5:5 ).

Revelation 1:13 — 13 .] and in the midst of the [seven] candlesticks one like to the Son of Man (i. e. to Christ: see John 5:27 . I will not deny that the anarthrous use of this title may mark out less sharply our Lord himself than the use with the articles; but in N. T. Greek we should be no more justified in rendering υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου in such a connexion as this, “a son

Revelation 1:19 — meanings of ἃ εἰσίν are possible. 1) ‘ the things which are ,’ viz. which exist at the present time. This has been taken by Arethas, Lyra, Corn.-a-lap., Grot., Calov., Vitr., Beng., Wolf, Züll., Hengst., Ebrard, Lücke, Düsterd., Revelation 2:0 ) as above, ‘ what things they (the ἃ εἶδες ) signify :’ so Alcas., Aretius, Eichhorn, Heinr., Ewald, De W. In deciding between these, we have the following considerations: a) the use of the plural εἰσίν , as marking off this clause

Revelation 20:1-3 — 1 3 .] The binding of the dragon . And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven (not Christ himself, as Aug [124] , Andr [125] , Calov., Vitr., Hengstb., al.: nor the Holy Spirit, as Joachim, Cocceius (al.?): but a veritable angel, as always before in this book) having the key of the abyss (of hell, the abode of the devil and his angels: see ch. Revelation 9:1